Programmed system for evoking emotional responses

ABSTRACT

In order to enhance the ability of a subject to freely express emotion and to overcome inhibitive and repressive tendencies, a system is provided adapted to generate generalized emotional states by way of repeated random signal initiation and expressive touch. By going through a sequence of generalized emotion states (sentic states) in a programmed manner, the subject completes a sentic cycle. It has been found that such sentic cycles serve to relieve certain psychosomatic disorder symptoms.

United States Patent [15.1 3,691,652 Clynes (4 Sept. 19, 1972 [54]PROGRAMMED SYSTEM FOR 2,678,692 5/1954 Ranseen ..35/22 R EVOKINGEMOTIONAL RESPONSES [72] Inventor: Manfred E. Clynes, Lawrence Lane,Primary Grieb Palisades, NY. 10964 Ebert [22] Filed: June 1, 1971 [57]ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 148,428 In order to enhance the ability of asubject to freely express emotion and to overcome inhibitive andrepressive tendencies, a system is provided adapted to g f 3 generategeneralized emotional states by way of re- [58] Fie'ld l2 1 R 2 1 peatedrandom signal initiation and expressive touch. 128 2 By going through asequence of generalized emotion states (sentic states) in a programmedmanner, the subject completes a sentic cycle. It has been found [56]References Cited that such sentic cycles serve to relieve certain UNITEDSTATES PATENTS psychosomatic disorder symptoms.

2,379,955 7/1945 Eilenberger l28/2.l R 7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures l 6 29 EEIIIIID NAPKEQ I3 I E fiv r e I l7 Eve 1 A a/c470? 1/ i PROGRAMME!)SYSTEM FOR EVOKING EMOTIONAL RESPONSES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Thisinvention relates generally to mental therapy techniques and apparatustherefor, and in particular to a programmed system for evoking in asubject a series of generalized emotional states which are expressed intactile terms to create an emotional release having beneficial effects.

According to psychoanalytic and psychiatric theories of repression,deformation of character structure and neurosis may be linked to theinability orthe unconscious refusal of a subject to express emotion atcritical periods as well as in every day life. The concern of thepresent invention is with the relief from psychosomatic disordersymptoms by affording a patient with a natural outlet for emotionalexpression without the need for acquiring specific skills to attain thisend. The utility of the invention is not limited to disturbed subjects,for it may be used to enhance the mental state of normal subjects.

A study of human emotions from the biocybernetic standpoint may be foundin the text, Biomedical Engineering Systems, edited by Clynes and Milsum(Mc- Graw-Hill- 1970).

If one examines the physiologic concomitants of emotion, such as changesin heart rate, blood pressure, sweating and similar indices, one findsthat a strict oneto-one correspondence islacking between the changes andthe emotion studied. Thus one individual may become pale when angry,another flushed, and even with the same person the physiologic responsesare dissimilar at different times. These familiar observations reinforcethe mistaken notion that emotions are vague, ill-defined and thereforedefy rigorous scientific analysis. This attitude is further promoted bythose theories of emotion that primarily define emotion through thephysiologic experience of altered body functions.

It is well known that the words of language used to define emotionalstates are often ambiguous and do not denote many important and subtleaspects of emotion such as its time course, or dynamic aspects. ingeneral. Moreover, it is difficult to produce experimental conditionsunder which emotions are repeatedly and reliably produced in the sameindividual, or in different individuals. Habituation, expectancy anddifferences in interpretation interfere with the reproducibility ofresults.

On the other hand, artists and others with a strongly developed sense ofinner discrimination have realized the high degree of precision ofaspects of the emotional state and its communication. Such persons oftenconsciously consider these states to be more precise than the words thatare available to describe them.

The experimental results and theories presented in the above-identifiedClynes and Milsum text, reconcile these conflicting points of view andinvestigate the sources of precision. It is there demonstrated that theidiologs or brain algorithm programs of emotion states are highlyprecise, as are also the natural communication of expressive forms inthe present moment of time.

The concept idiolog distinguishes a thought or idea of a quality and theassociated brain process, as separate from the perception of it--e.g.,the idea of a pitch, as compared with hearing it. The term idiologdenotes the thought or fantasy of a quality as a distinctpsychophyiologic reality. An idiolog is an element of imagination whichcan be created in a moment, and has physiologic brain concomitants.Idiologs constitute a metalanguage of natural language insofar as thewords of natural language are a correct translation of the physiologiccode. We may distinguish three kinds of idiologs-sensory, affective, andmotor idiologs.

The ensuring physiologic response may vary according to how much andwhat type of autonomic body functions are permitted to be included inthe mode of experience concerned. This relationship varies as the natureof the experience partakes of fantasy or real aspects. A person mayfunction emotionally only in terms of fantasy, by empathy oridentification, or may be entirely involved himself.

In the studies reported in the above-identified text, the diflicultiesof measuring emotional characteristics quantitatively were overcome bynormalizing expressions of emotion through measurement of touch-pres.-sure transients in two dimensions produced by one finger of the subject,and by using generated fanatasized emotion to evoke a response. Bygenerating repetitive expressive acts for each emotion and averagingthese acts on a computer, one derives from the transient pattern createdby finger pressure, the expressive shape for the emotion.

The use of a single finger to produce expressive form implies theassumption that there exists a basic brain program for the expression ofa given emotion, which makes it essentially immaterial whether a finger,foot or other body part is used in the expression-much as handwriting isalso revealed by writing with the foot. The consistent results obtainedwith this measurement method confirms this supposition.

In order to clarify these aspects, we have introduced the terminology ofsentic states. We may distinguish four kinds or modes of sentic statesfor each emotion.

Thus for the emotion Anger, the following states exist:

Sentic State A. One experiences anger in himself in a real situation.

Sentic State B. This state is experienced as a reflection of anger inanother person (a form of em- W y)- Sentic State C. Anger is experiencedas a fantasy.

Sentic State D. The anger is experienced vicariously through anothersfantasy, as in watching theater or a movie, where one realizes thesituation is not real.

Each one of these modes of sentic states has its own character andphysiologic concomitants.

The expressive forms produced in the measurements previously referredto, are those arising from sentic state-C observations; i.e., theexpressions of fantasy emotions. These states have clear physiologicconcomitants: there may be tears for grief, flushing of face for love,and so on, and there are systematic alterations in heart rate,respiration and oxygen consumption. But more specifically, their dynamicexpression appears to have an underlying basic brain algorithm orprogram which is genetically determined and similar for humansregardless of race, although the type of output expression chosen isculturally determined.

It is in the nature of emotion that it demands to be expressed. Incontrol-system or bio-cybernetic terms, it means that there exists aninner command which requires a corresponding output to be fulfilled. Thecommand dictates a dynamic form in space-time which must be produced bythe output modality. The output modality may be touch, tone of voice,gesture, or another means by which an individual is capable ofexpressing feeling. If the command is satisfied in this way, a certainexperience of satisfaction" is consciously felt.

The degree of satisfaction depends also on the extent to which theoutput form accurately represents the inner command shape. To achievethis, the appropriate gates of the data-processing modes of the nervoussystem must be open. This is experienced as a sense of being natural butis often forgotten through disuse, inhibition, or habitual caution.

When one is faithful to the inner command and produces the requiredexpressive shape or essentic form, it will be found that one alsocommunicates that particular state to another. Our human data-processingsystem appears to be designed so that the visual, auditory or tactilesenses demodulate the signals so as to become dynamic keys to open thedata-processing locks of the receiving individual to reconstitute anidiolog form similar to the command sentic state.

Let us now consider the nature of voluntary movement. Studies ofseparate voluntary eye movements show that they take about 180 msec. tocomplete. During this time, the movements are not subject to voluntarymodification, i.e., they are preprogrammed.

The behavior is similar for the single, natural movement of a finger orother limb or facial musculature. Even the simplest voluntary movement,such as moving a finger, involves programmed starting, accelerating, anddecelerating. In order to do this, two sets of muscles must come intooperation at the appropriate times and to the appropriate extent inorder to start and to stop the motion at the right time and place, asintended. It is a physiologic fact that the course of such a simplemovement is pre-programmed by the brain before it begins. Recent studiesof .l.C. Eccles are relevant to the role of the cerebellum insupervising and modulating the transient course of the action.

There is no time in the 180 msec. period for conscious feedback toaffect the decision. There is a decision which precedes the beginning ofthe movement. This decision is of a precise nature and controls thesubsequent movement. according to the program it has set (i.e., thedecision event pre-programs the subsequent course of the movement). Thepre-programming is of the nature of an algorithm.

During approximately 180 msec. after a programming decision is made,another programming decision affecting the same limb or muscle cannot bemade. Movements begun under such a decision cannot be reversed orcontrolled within this time. We call such a pre-programmed voluntarymovement having a clear beginning and end, an acton. An acton is thecombination of an action idiolog and its execution. The minimum durationofan acton is related to what we experience as the present moment. Inthis minimum time, a decision cannot be reversed.

Consider a person deciding to hit a particular spot with a ball. To doso, he has an idea, which is a "command, and his arm and body executethis command in a more or less precise way involving accurateprogramming. To act satisfactorily, he has to have both a clear idea (oraction idiolog) and an accurate execution.

In acts of emotional expression, there is a similar, related process.The difference between a mechanical movement and an expressive movement,is that the form of the latter is modulated by a state of feeling, orsentic state, as we call it, functioning as an algorithm. (Thismodulation may increase the duration of pre-programming, depending onthe sentic state).

There is in every act of emotional expression, a moment of initiation.In this moment, the individual makes a choice or decision to express ornot express. In that moment, he must open all those gates in hisdataprocessing system which will allow the program of expression tocommand the expression, if the expression is to be faithful or sincere.The degree to which this is done determines the faithfulness of theexpressions to the inner command shape-and gives rise to the impressionof depth of feeling.

At the moment of initiation, the shape of expression is alreadydetermined, that is to say, the contour between the beginning and end ofthe expressive unit of action is designed. This moment is then of greatimportance. The process which takes place in the brain during this timedetermines the nature of the entire expressive action.

Expressive action has no other aim than to respond and correspond to aninner state. Such action is composed of actons, but the shape of theseactons (E-actons) is modulated by the state commanding or seekingexpression, which we call the sentic state. We say that the sentic state(or the idiolog of the sentic state), requires the E-acton to have acertain characteristic shape, e.g., sadness will change the shape intime-space of an undifferentiated movement to a new shape if we allow itto express sadness. We call this the essentic form. Similarly, joy willcause the movement to be modulated to a different characteristic formcorresponding to joy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The main object of this invention is to providea technique for evoking a sequence of generalized emotional responses ina subject in order to afford the subject with an emotional releasehaving therapeutic effects.

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide a systemfor the psychological treatment of a subject, the system being adaptedto generate generalized emotional states in the subject by means of aprogrammer presenting to the subject a series of words denoting emotionsto be expressed, each word being followed by a series of start signalsoccurring at random points to initiate responses.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a system of theabove type which may be used effectively by the subject withoutsupervision or control or which may be used under the control of atrained therapist to derive beneficial effects.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a programmed systembased on the theory of essentic forms, which system may be manufacturedat low cost and made widely available for therapeutic purposes.

Briefly stated, these objects are accomplished in a system including aprogrammer functioning by means of a recording in audio or visual form,or a combination thereof, to present a subject being treated with atimed sequence of words, each denoting a specific emotion, the sequenceof words preferably being such as to first define a series of negativeemotions and progressing to a series of positive emotions, each wordbeing followed by a series of randomly produced start signals to causethe subject each time the signal is received, to apply a pressure with abody member in a manner which is best expressive of the announcedemotion, the subject thereby undergoing and generating a sequence ofsentic states in a programmedcycle.

The pressure applied by the subject may be presented in transientpattern form, having horizontal and vertical components, which form isexhibited to the subject or to a trained analyst to indicate whether anappropriate emotion has been expressed. Means may be provided under thecontrol of the analyst to indicate the effectiveness of the response andto obtain a score representing the emotional progress made by thesubject.

OUTLINE OF THE DRAWING For a better understanding of the invention aswell as other objects and further features thereof, reference is made tothe following detailed description to be read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing, wherein:

, FIG. 1 isa perspective view of a transducer assembly used in aprogrammed system in accordance with the invention for therapeutictreatment of subjects;

FIG. 2 is a series of transient patterns representing typical essenticforms, and

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of a system inaccordancewith the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Before considering how a system inaccordance with the invention functions to promote emotional freedom andto thereby relieve depression or other neurotic conditions, we shallfirst review briefly the nature of essentic forms and the manner inwhich they have heretofore been measured.

Since the commands of the brain determine expressive shapes, it becamepossible to eliminate the difficult and varied measurement techniquespresented by the different output possibilities (e.g., a smile, headmovement, eyebrow movement, etc.) by standardization of the output inthe form of a transient pressure touch (middle finger) on atwo-dimensional pressure trans ducer assembly, as shown in FIG. 1. Whenthis is done, results are indeed consistent and comparable, indicatingthe stability of the brain phenomenon giving rise to the shape.

The assembly shown in FIG. 1 is constituted by two pressure transducersl0 and 11, mounted at right angles to one another so as to have no crossinterference, the pressure being applied to the transducers by a fingerrest 12. Finger rest 12 is of a material having grey characteristics,that is a material affording a neutral touch sensation, i.e., neitherparticularly soft nor hard, neither particularly smooth nor rough. Forthis purpose, use may be made of a cup-shaped plastic body having aslight yieldability.

The transducer measuringhorizontal force is biased with a constantpressure so that horizontal pressure measured may be either positive ornegative, without losing contact. The transducers may be of the typeused for pulse pressure measurement or may take the form of straingauges. In practice, the finger rest may be formed with a socket orreceptacle to receive an inserted finger, so that the transducer thenmay respond to upward as well as downward finger movement.

The subject in sitting position presses on the pressure transducerfinger rest with his finger. (The particular limb chosen does notessentially matter-the essentic form is a brain program, and can beexecuted by various effectors, such as the foot. For standardization,however, one should always use the same finger to eliminate secondaryeffects. Two components of this pressure are recorded (vertical andhorizontal) giving time profiles of instantaneous pressure. This is themeasure of the essentic form. The arm as a biologic filter eliminatesactivity not concerned with the form of the expressive act.

The subject is instructed to express with the greatest precision thequality of a sentic state given in word approximations (e.g., hate,anger, grief, love, sex, joy, reference) by pressing the finger rest.The times at which he is to express a given state is given to him by aseries of soft clicks occurring randomly at 2-8 sec. intervals. Thecorresponding essentic form outputs, i.e., the transient shapesrecorded, are averages on a CAT computer (computer of averagetransients).

In this measurement process, the individual, by suggesting anapproximate word, is asked to generate in himself an algorithm-anidiolog of a sentic stateand repeatedly to express this with each actonin as precise a manner as possible.

It has been found that the act of expressing essentic form itself has aneffect on the sentic state. This is a direct, positive feedback whichteaches the subject both to increase the precision of his essentic formand to be more aware of the quality of the sentic state. This means thatthe process is self-teaching and self-refining. In doing it, we appearto learn to sense a pure or ortho-essentic form toward which we practiceas a reference.

While the conventional meaning of the word learning involves newlyformed memory, this appears more like discovering what we alreadyinherently are, and have perhaps neglected to cultivate. At first, thesubject usually imagines particular situations to focus on a certainsentic state; but he is soon able to experience and express the statewithout specific situational imagery-and in doing so, new imagery mayalso spontaneously arise.

FIG. 2 shows various essentic forms of emotions recorded in the mannerdescribed above. The upper trace for each emotion (Love, Hate, Grief,Joy, No Emotion, Reverence, Anger, Sex) is the vertical component oftransient pressure. The lower trace is the horizontal component. Eachform is measured as the average of fifty actons. The fact that differentemotions give rise to different forms, is evident from the figure.

In order to exploit sentic forms for the purpose of emotional therapy, asystem as shown in FIG. 3 is provided. This system is constituted by aprogrammer 13 which may take the form of a standard magnetic taperecording and play-back machine in cassette form.

It was found useful to take a sequence of sentic states, each to beexperienced by a number of actons, initiated at random times from anoutside signal. A tape provides these signals in the form of soft clicksand announces each sentic state with one word. Thus prerecorded on thecassette tape at spaced time positions are individual words such asanger, grief, love, etc., each word being followed by a series of softcommand clicks occurring randomly, say at 3 to 15 second intervals, toavoid rhythmic actions that interfere with a spontaneous response. It isimportant that the clicks be neutral in character, that is, free ofirritating or distracting qualities, so that the clicks merely initiatebut do not affect the actions.

. A patient being treated is seated in a chair 14 having mounted thereona pressure transducer assembly 15 provided with a finger rest 16. Theproper positioning requires an upright position, with a straightbackchair, perhaps a pillow behind the back, and a straight back. This haskinesthetic reasons, as well as preventing muscle tiredness. The bodyposition was found to be an important factor influencing the effect ofsentic cycles. It has little effect in an inclined or supine position.

Preferably, the programmer begins the sequence with negative states,such as anger and hate, and through grief (which combines both withnegative and positive states) arrive at positive states, such as love,followed by sex, joy and reverence, thereby completing one cycle. Twocycles are usually done, taking about 50 minutes. The second cycleusually is experienced more fully.

This programmed sequence is in accord with the findings of vector space,determined from the horizontal components of essentic form, whichdenotes the possible combinations of sentic states. Accordingly, in thesequence of states in the sentic cycle, one generally proceeds accordingto connected regions in vector space, rather than by jumping abruptlyfrom positive to negative.

It has been found that such a sentic cycle does produce a sense ofcalmness, a relatedness and sometimes a measure of insight. It is asatisfaction in itself, that one is able to summon up various senticstates at will, and express them without fear, or embarrassment. Eventhough one acts only with one finger (though the action originates fromthe shoulder and trunk), one acts freely, and each act brings its ownminor satisfactron.

There is, however, a long-term habituati ve efiect to which senticcycles are not immune. The same sequence practiced in the same way eachday for an hour or more tends to become boring after some weeks. Tominimize this, one searches for the optimum frequency, perhaps everysecond day, and also for a way of varying the sequence and specificstates chosen. For this purpose, several cassettes may be provided, eachrecording a distinctive sentic cycle.

Studies with certain psychosomatic disorders show promise in the reliefof nervous ticks, stammer and asthma. Potential applications arenumerous, but

should be done under appropriate medical supervision (reduction in stagefright and nervousness in public appearances is another application ofsome 15 to 30 minutes of sentic cycles beforehand). After a person hascompleted a number of such cycles, we often observe a surprising changein his general mental statean increasing awareness, fluidity of thoughtand a feeling of well-being.

Sentic cycles generally have a calming effect and produce a lessening ofanxiety. These effects generally last from 3 to 24 hours. Therefrequently appears a marked increase in psychic energy and physicalactivity after the initial period of calmness. (Some of this may simplybe related to the removal of anxiety). Prolonged sentic cycle activityof seven or eight hours continuously is generally not tiring butrefreshing and appears to reduce the subsequent need for sleep.Improvement in the restfulness of sleep has also been noted in manyinstances. Many subjects have compared the experience following senticcycles to being high from drugs such as Marijuana. Some of the catharticefiect is related to the old adage of chopping wood to work off anger.But it is the quality of the expressive actnot the quantity of physicalenergy in it-that is effective in discharging the anger. Thus therepeated angry movement of a finger to a certain extent is equivalent tothe repeated angry movement of chopping wood.

The state is very different from hypnosis in that the subject is in fullcontrol all the time. Heart rate and respiration vary systematicallywith the sentic states as well as oxygen consumption. Some subjectsoften cry during the state of grief. Sentic cycles improve the fluidityof the mental state and the condition of sentic rigidity, which is oneof the symptoms of depression, is alleviated.

The subject, when going through a cycle, has no objective means ofknowing whether he is effectively expressing the emotions announced bythe programmer. All that he has available is his subjective reactions.However, by the use of a transducer assembly 15 coupled to anoscilloscope 17 or other known on-time means for presenting thehorizontal and vertical pres sure components on a viewing screen, thesubject is then able to see the actual transient pattern or sentic formof his response.

Though the subject is not trained to analyze these transient patterns,he will, in the course of time, learn to recognize these sentic formsresulting from the absence of an emotional response, or a poor responseas distinguished from the form arising from a genuine, well-definedfeeling. Thus the subject, as he gains experience with the system withrepeated treatments, is able, by viewing the screen, to confirm thoseinstances in the cycle in which he has efiectively experienced a senticstate. These confirmations serve to bolster the confidence of thesubject in his responses and act to encourage the subject toward greaterfreedom in reacting to the programmed cycle. Thus the transient patternindicator 17 functions to stimulate the subject and to reinforce hisparticipation in the program.

In practice, the programmer 13 and visual indicator 17 may be combinedinto a single audio-visual unit in which the words in the cycle arepresented on a cathode ray screen. For this purpose, a video tapecassette may be used in conjunction with a television set having a soundsystem to provide the random audio start signals to initiate responsesto words presented on the screen. The same screen is used to exhibit theresultant transient patterns. This arrangement affords the subjectimmediate feedback which may improve his motivation and enhance thebenefit obtained from the treatment.

Observation of the sentic forms may be carried out by a trained analystwho is capable of correlating the presented forms with specific emotionstates, thereby to determine whether an appropriate response has beenmade. The analyst, upon seeing that a proper response has been made, maythen operate a marker switch 18 linked to a scorer or indicator device19 functioning to indicate that a correct response has been given by thesubject. Incorrect or negative responses are not scored, so that thesubject is only made aware of positive reactions.

This arrangement is predicated on operant reinforcement theory. When anaction is correct, this leads to positive reinforcement, for itencourages a repetition of continued behavior leading to further correctactions. Since the scorer does not indicate failed responses, thesubject is not motivated to repeat such behavior which then becomes lessfrequent.

The analyst, by keeping records of the scores made by the subject in thecourse of treatment, is able to determine whether progress has beenmade.

While there have been shown and described preferred embodiments oftechniques and systems for evoking emotional responses in accordancewith the invention, it will be appreciated that many changes andmodifications may be made therein without, however, departing from theessential spirit of the invention. Thus, in lieu of an analyst to scorethe subjects responses, this operation may be computerized by means of amemory system storing standardized essentic forms, and a comparator todetermine when the form actually generated by a subject, is anacceptable match for the standardized form. These standardized forms inrecorded form may be derived from the subject himself by averagingtechniques, or they may be general in na ture.

Also in a T-V system, standardized recorded essentic forms may bepresented on the screen for comparison with the transient patternsgenerated by the subject.

Iclaim:

wi l A 1. A system for evoking a series of generalized emotionalresponses in a subject to cause the subject to complete a sentic cyclehaving a therapeutic effect; said system comprising:

A. a programmer adapted to present to the subject a timed sequence ofwords, each denoting a specific emotion, each word being followed by aseries of start signals occurring at random times, said start signalscommanding the subject to express the denoted emotion, and

B. a pressure receiver having a finger rest possessing neutralcharacteristics, which rest is adapted to receive a finger of thesubject who presses thereon each time a signal is received in a mannerexpressive of the denoted emotion, whereby when responses have been madeto all words in the sequence thereof, the subject completes a sentic 2.fi y stem as set forthin claim 1, wherein said programmer is an audioplay-back device and includes a record of said words and said signals,said signals being constituted by audible clicks.

3. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pressure receiver is atransducer assembly having horizon tal and vertical pressure responsiveelements operative- 1y associated with said finger rest and indicatormeans coupled to said assembly to present the transient patterndeveloped by said elements.

4. A system as set forth in claim 3, further including a numericalcounter, and switch means coupled to said counter, whereby an observerof said indicator means may score the responses of the subject.

5. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said programmer is atelevision set operating in conjunction with a video tape recordinghaving recorded thereon said sequence of words and visually presented ona screen, said television set having a sound system to produce saidstart signals in audible form.

6. A system as set forth in claim 1, further including a straight-backarmless chair for accommodating the subject, said chair having a bracketonto which said pressure receiver is mounted at a position convenient tothe middle finger of one hand of the subject.

7. A system as set forth in claim .5, further including a sensory devicecontaining standardized essentic forms related to the words in saidsequence, and means to present each form on said screen.

1. A system for evoking a series of generalized emotional responses in asubject to cause the subject to complete a sentic cycle having atherapeutic effect; said system comprising: A. a programmer adapted topresent to the subject a timed sequence of words, each denoting aspecific emotion, each word being followed by a series of start signalsoccurring at random times, said start signals commanding the subject toexpress the denoted emotion, and B. a pressure receiver having a fingerrest possessing neutral characteristics, which rest is adapted toreceive a finger of the subject who presses thereon each time a signalis received in a manner expressive of the denoted emotion, whereby whenresponses have been made to all words in the sequence thereof, thesubject completes a sentic cycle.
 2. A system as set forth in claim 1,wherein said programmer is an audio play-back device and includes arecord of said words and said signals, said signals being constituted byaudible clicks.
 3. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein saidpressure receiver is a transducer assembly having horizontal andvertical pressure responsive elements operatively associated with saidfinger rest and indicator means coupled to said assembly to present thetransient pattern developed by said elements.
 4. A system as set forthin claim 3, further including a numerical counter, and switch meanscoupled to said counter, whereby an observer of said indicator means mayscore the responses of the subject.
 5. A system as set forth in claim 1,wherein said programmer is a television set operating in conjunctionwith a video tape recording having recorded thereon said sequence ofwords and visually presented on a screen, said television set having asound system to produce said start signals in audible form.
 6. A systemas set forth in claim 1, further including a straight-back armless chairfor accommodating the subject, said chair having a bracket onto whichsaid pressure receiver is mounted at a position convenient to the middlefinger of one hand of the subject.
 7. A system as set forth in claim 5,further including a sensory device containing standardized essenticforms related to the words in said sequence, and means to present eachform on said screEn.